Alexandra Sifferlin

Email successfully sent

With no approved medications to treat autism, more parents are turning to alternative therapies to help their kids.

A new study published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics found that among parents of nearly 600 children between ages 2 and 5 with autism (453 kids) and developmental delays (125 kids), 40% reported using homeopathic remedies, mind-body medicine, melatonin and probiotics in an attempt to relieve some of their children’s symptoms and even prevent some of the condition’s behavioral problems from progressing.

Such use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) was 10% greater than that among nonautistic kids. About 7% of autistic kids were on a special diet such as gluten-free or casein-free, which parents believed could reduce inflammation that may aggravate autism symptoms. While most of the therapies were relatively harmless, a small number of autistic kids, 4%, were using treatments that the study classified as potentially unsafe or unfounded in science, like vitamin B-12 injections.

The researchers therefore urge pediatricians to talk to parents about any complementary treatments they may be using on their kids, and educate well-intentioned parents about the potential risks and benefits of the therapies, including how the compounds may interact with other treatments. Last year, a study in Pediatrics found that CAM was also common among kids with other chronic diseases like asthma.

Our Support Community

Join our free support community and connect with thousands of other families and individuals touched by ASD. Find out what’s working for others, coping strategies, and life guides from others living what you’re going through now. Click here to join for free!

Resources in Your Area

Events

ACT Today for Military Families 5k/10k Run/Walk & Family Festival
San Diego, CA - United States
May-21-2018 - 06:30 am
The 8th Annual ACT Today! for Military Families 5k/10k & Family Festival returns to Tecolote Shores Park in Mission Bay, San Diego on Saturday, April 21, 2018.
Ev ..Go to Event site